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Dier discusses Tottenham behaviour at Chelsea

Eric Dier: One of nine Tottenham players booked at Chelsea

Eric Dier has spoken out about the night Tottenham collapsed at Chelsea and officially surrendered the Premier League title.

Dier was one of nine Spurs players to be shown a yellow card that night at Stamford Bridge – and Mousa Dembele was subsequently handed a six-match ban over an altercation during the contest with Diego Costa.

Dier, however, believes the game was important in their quest to lose their reputation of being a soft touch.

“I don’t think we lost our heads,” said Dier.

“It was a very emotional game for many reasons. We knew if we didn’t win we would lose the title. But I don’t think I lost my head.

“I think as a team we wanted to show a different side to our game.

“Things boiled over at times, but Tottenham are trying to get rid of a certain image at the moment and I think that helped.

“I think for a long time Tottenham have had a certain image which I don’t think this group of players and this manager (Mauricio Pochettino) enjoy, and we are trying to change that.

“It isn’t easy and is going to take time but that is our aim.”

Dier’s England Tottenham and England colleague Dele Alli was also recently suspended after appearing to punch West Brom’s Claudio Yacob.

And Dier added: “Of course, there’s always limits. Everyone knows that and we don’t want to see things like in the Chelsea game or any other scenario. I’m not saying go round and beat people up.”

Although they fell short of winning the title in the end, Tottenham and Dier have undoubtedly had a fine 2015-16, with the man signed from Sporting Lisbon in August 2014 as a relative unknown enjoying a rapid rise to prominence.

Last summer he was left out of the England squad for the European Under-21 Championship.

Now, following on from his senior international debut in November and with five caps to his name so far, Dier is viewed as a probable starter at Euro 2016.

He has made a hugely successful switch from defence to a holding midfield role, although he is more than happy to drop into the heart of the backline if required by Hodgson, who has three centre-halves in his 26-man provisional squad for the Euros in Chris Smalling, Gary Cahill and John Stones.

Dier said: “I have had good periods in both positions.

“This season has been my most defining and it has been in central midfield but I feel I could have been at centre-back.”